


True Loves Kiss

by Loor



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Leprechauns, M/M, Magic, Robot/Human Relationships, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-04-15
Packaged: 2018-03-23 03:56:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3753580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loor/pseuds/Loor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis thinks his life is going pretty okay. Until during a swim in the lake he meets a boy with a mop of curls and bright green eyes who seems determined to prove him wrong.</p><p>[Or the one one where Louis is lonely, Liam and Zayn are practically attached to the hip, Niall is a leprechaun and Harry starts out as a gift Louis bought for himself.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [offwiththeirheads](https://archiveofourown.org/users/offwiththeirheads/gifts).



> Written based on the following prompt: 
> 
> _Louis loves to go for a swim at the lake by the woods twice a week at night and somehow one night, there's an intruder, curly hair and bright green eyes, who goes by the name Hersch._
> 
> I’m going to take a wild guess and assume that this was not at all what you had in mind when you send in this prompt. Still, this was the first thing (strangely enough) that popped into my head when reading this prompt and I decided to roll with it. 
> 
> As usual when writing, a few thank yous are in order.  
> Thanks to [stripsandcurls](http://archiveofourown.org/users/stripesandcurls/pseuds/stripesandcurls) for submitting this prompt. I had a lot of fun with this story! I hope you enjoy reading as much as I did writing it.  
> Also a big thank you to Anna and Stephanie for organizing this exchange. This was my first time writing slash fiction, but I had a lot of fun with it. Thanks for showing me something new and making me write again!  
> And last but not least, a major thank you to Alexis for beta reading this story! I know I asked you to do this way past last minute, so I am happy that you were still willing to do it. Thanks for helping me understand things and for cheering me on during the editing. Thank you for magic names :)! This story turned out so much better then I anticipated because of you!

Louis doesn’t exactly remember when their story started. It feels like forever ago. But he definitely remembers where it started. The lake. The magical, perfect lake only a block from his building. 

One of the perks of living near the edge of the city was that nature was never far away. It was one of the reasons why Louis was living in his current flat. Commuting to his job took him about an hour each day, but he didn’t mind. Because in return he was close to nature. Close to the lake he loved so much. The lake he had always loved, even before they met. 

Louis had taken to swimming in the lake almost as soon as he had moved into his flat. He had stumbled upon the precious piece of nature during a walk in his new neighbourhood and the next day he had gone back to take his first swim.

It had quickly become a habit. Twice a week he would go to the lake for a swim. As early as March, as soon as the water was warm enough. Until late October, when it became too cold to be comfortable. Always at night, because he loved the peace and quiet. The lake was always deserted and that was just the way Louis liked it. Just him, the water and the starry night. Until one night it wasn’t anymore. 

One night, he had been under water for as long as he could, testing his own limits. When he came back up for air, he noticed a stranger sitting near the edge of the water. The boy, who looked around Louis’ age, just sat there staring at him. 

Louis found he wasn’t bothered by the intrusion. After all, the stranger wasn’t disturbing him. It was still peace and quiet surrounding him. So Louis was merely curious. He swam to the shore to go introduce himself, but by the time he was out of the water the boy was nowhere to be seen anymore. 

This went on for a couple of nights. Each time Louis was at the lake, the boy would show up. He never said anything, just sat there staring out at the lake. At Louis. And when Louis tried to make his way to the boy, he would always be gone by the time Louis was out of the water.

Eventually Louis grew tired of their game of chase. The next night, when the boy showed up Louis was careful to stay in the water when he called towards the boy, “So, creeper much?”

Much to Louis’ surprise, the stranger didn’t even blush. He didn’t seem embarrassed at all. He just smiled at Louis and said, “Hi, I’m Hersch.”

Louis did his best to ignore the way the boy’s smile and the sound of his voice pulled at his heartstrings. Instead he snorted at the name. “What, as in Herhey’s kisses?”

“Not quite.” The boy kept a smile on his face when he cheekily added, “But I can assure you I’m just as sweet.”

Louis couldn’t help but laugh again. And then he realized he didn’t really mind this boy being around. There was something about him that made Louis like him without even knowing him. Feeling bold, he shouted, “Care to join me?”

The boy shook his head lightly. “No thanks,” he politely declined. “I don’t do well in water.”

“Oh, come! Don’t be such a wimp!”

Louis didn’t even know why he was pushing. Why he wasn’t creeped out by the boy with the crazy name that came here every night just to stare at him. But there was just something about him, something intriguing. He wanted to know more about this stranger.

In an effort to coax the boy into the water Louis splashed some water towards the boy. He was close enough for the water to hit his bare arms. What followed wasn’t anything Louis could have expected. There was a quiet hiss when the water touched the boy’s skin. The water evaporated quickly and left a red mark.

With big eyes, Louis stammered out an apology. “Shit, I’m so sorry! Are you okay? So sorry!”

The boy briefly examined the red spot on his skin. Then he gave a dismissive wave and said, “Don’t worry about it. One drop of water won’t kill me.” He looks up to Louis again and adds, “But I guess you can understand now that I’m not a fan of swimming. Or water in general.”

Louis gave a short nod in return. “Yeah, I can see that.” 

A silence fell over the lake again as the boy on the shore focused on his reddened skin again and Louis floated in the water watching him. It was then that Louis realized they were closer together than they had ever been before. And that this could be the moment to get even closer to the boy. 

Louis doubted it for a few seconds, but then decided to take a chance. He slowly planted his feet and rose up into a standing position. He stopped moving when Hersh’s lifted his head again to look at Louis. When the boy made no movement to get up and run off again, Louis continued wading out of the water. 

He took his time to walk over and sit down next to Hersch. It was only when there were sitting just a few inches apart that Louis noticed that the orbs beneath the boy’s brown mop of curly hair were the brightest green he had ever seen. He wondered how he could have missed it before. 

Hersch didn’t run off, but it also seemed like he wouldn’t be the one speaking first. So after waiting a few moments Louis curiously asked, “So, are you like, allergic to the water or something?”

Hersch offered Louis a shrug. “I don’t know really. It’s always been this way. For as long as I can remember.” 

The way Hersch talked about it, completely calm, it intrigued Louis even more. He couldn’t explain it, this feeling he had, the way his heart beat just a bit faster around the boy. He only knew he wanted to know everything about the boy sitting beside him.

While they sat together in the sand underneath the moonlight, Louis struck up a conversation. He was happy to notice that despite keeping his answers quite vague, Hersch did ask a bunch of his own questions in return. It felt good for Louis to meet someone who seemed genuinely interested in him. 

In the back of his mind Louis knew that he should be a bit more apprehensive. Yet somehow he didn’t find it strange that Hersch was a bit secretive. He enjoyed the boy’s company and for now that was enough for Louis.

They talked for quite awhile, about everything and nothing. How their day had been, hobbies and things they liked. Louis only realized that they had been sitting there for quite some time when a voice sounded behind them, “Hersch! There you are!”

Louis looked over his shoulder to find a young man jogging towards them. His heart sank when besides him Hersch shot the boy a happy smile and gave him a wave. He should have known a boy like Hersch wouldn’t be single anymore. 

When the blonde reached where they were sitting, he was slightly out of breath. He needed a few moments before he got out, “Do you have any idea what time it is? You scared me here, man.”

Louis raised his eyebrows at the scolding tone of the man in front of him. Before he could say anything, however, the boy turned to Louis and asked, “So sorry. I hope he wasn’t a bother?”

The man had showed up less than a minute ago, but Louis was already getting annoyed by him. He didn’t like the tone he used to speak to and about Hersch. Not at all. He had to do his best to sound polite when he answered, “No, not at all. His company is quite nice actually.”

“Huh, how about that,” the blonde answered. He looked between Louis and Hersch, and Louis noticed a small smile appear on his face. 

The upward movement of the blonde’s lips did nothing for Louis’ confusion. “I’m sorry, what was that?” he questioned.

The next moment the young man had grabbed Louis arm to get him up and dragged him a few feet away from Hersch. “I’m Niall. I’m Irish and I need you to forget everything you ever believed to be true about leprechauns,” he told Louis before he could question his motives.

“Okay…” Louis’ response was slow, he was still not sure what the boy was talking about. While he spoke he looked over the Niall’s shoulder. He tried to estimate how much time it would take him to get to his phone in case he needed to call the cops. 

Niall must have picked up on Louis’ uneasiness, but he went on like nothing happened. “We don’t spend our days searching for gold to fill our pot at the end of the rainbow. It would be nice I guess, but we don’t have time for that. We are always busy making stuff. Making robots.”

It took a moment for the words to register in Louis’ head, but when they did, things suddenly made a bit more sense. The bright green hoodie Niall was wearing and the four leaf clover that was pinned to it suddenly didn’t seem so weird anymore. Something else clicked in his head and he found himself looking over Niall’s shoulder to Hersch. The boy was staring straight back at him. 

“Yes, he’s a robot. One that I designed,” Niall answered Louis’ unanswered question. His voice made it clear he was proud of the fact he had build Hersch. And when Louis looked at Hersch, he couldn’t even blame Niall. “And he seems to have taken quite a liking to you. I have to admit it’s quite surprising.”

Louis felt himself getting defensive immediately. “What, you think I’m not likable?” 

Niall’s eyes grew big at the accusation. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean it like that! But that one over there,” he explained, jotting his thumb in the direction Hersch was still sitting. “He’s been around for a couple of years. Usually they are matched with someone within a week or two.”

“Matched?” Louis felt like this whole situation was a headache waiting to happen. He wondered what he had gotten himself into. 

Niall didn’t seem bothered by Louis’ many questions. He nodded his head eagerly and went on to explain, “Yes, that’s what they are for. We make them and then we send them out into the world. They are designed to automatically reach out towards people that are a match for them. Usually lonely people in need of some company. Companions, I guess you could call them. They go out to find someone fitting and then we sell them to that person and never see them again.”

He paused for a moment, looking over his shoulder to Hersch. He was still sitting where they had left them, watching them in silence. There was a look of mild curiosity in his eyes. 

When Niall looked back at him, Louis could from the look of his eyes that he had grown quite fond of Hersch over time. It was also clear in his voice when he said, “That’s how it usually goes. But this one, he would come back every night. Alone. Has been so every night for the past two years. Until tonight. He was supposed to be back quite some time ago, so I got worried and came out to look for him. And that’s how I ended up here.” 

For a few moments nobody said anything. Louis took the silence as a chance to let everything he just heard sink in. It felt weird to know that only an hour ago he had been a normal guy taking a swim in the lake near his flat. And now here he was, talking to some stranger about leprechauns and companion robots. Weird, but, Louis realized after a while, not exactly unpleasant. He didn’t feel threatened by Niall and he had really enjoyed his time with Hersch. It was mostly because of that last reason, that he found himself wondering out loud, “So you want to sell him to me?”

A tiny smile appeared on Niall’s face. Louis could tell he was trying to keep the level of excitement in his voice to a minimum when he said, “Well, I can’t force you to do anything. I can only tell you that you must be something special. Otherwise Hersch wouldn’t even have looked at you twice. But you’re suggesting it yourself, so…”

Louis didn’t immediately respond. In his mind he took a walk through his life. Where he was at right now. He had a nice job. His friends were great. He loved his family, even though he didn’t see them as often as he would have like since moving to the city. He liked his life. Yet sometimes he felt like something was missing. There was no boyfriend and he lived alone in his apartment. He had nobody to come home to at the end of the day. And he missed that sometimes.

As he contemplated his decision, his gaze went to Hersch. He found that the boy had clearly been listening to their conversation. He was looking up at Louis expectantly. That one look was the last thing that Louis needed to be convinced.

“Sure, why not?” he told Niall. He did his best to keep his voice leveled. He felt like he shouldn’t show too much excitement at this sudden change in his life. 

The tiny smile playing around Niall’s mouth turned into one that lighted up his entire face when he heard Louis’ answer. “Perfect! Great, so great. I’ll even let you have him for half the usual price. Seriously, I’m really happy to finally have him matched up with someone decent.”

Louis returned the smile and went to grab his wallet. He noticed that Hersch eyes followed his every movement and it made him feel giddy. As soon as he had paid Niall and watched the boy walk off again, he turned to Hersch and asked, “So, lets get you home then, shall we?”


	2. Chapter 2

It was already late when they arrived in Louis’ flat. Since he had to get up for work early the next morning, he quickly helped Hersch settle into his room before saying goodnight. 

It probably should feel awkward having someone who is practically a stranger sleeping in the room next door, but it didn’t to Louis. Somehow, the thought of Hersch being next door made him fall asleep with a smile on his face. 

When Louis woke up bright and early the next day, he peeked into Hersch’s brand new room to find the boy still sound asleep. He stood in the doorway watching for a while. Hersch looked so peaceful sleeping and perfectly content in his new room. 

After staring at Hersch for too long, Louis took a quick shower and got dressed. He didn’t have time for a proper breakfast. Instead he grabbed a granola bar and a bottle of water from the fridge. 

When he closed the door again, his eyes fell on the notepad stuck to the door. He smiled when an idea struck him. He wasn’t sure how this whole robot thing worked, how human Hersch really was. But just to be sure, he grabbed a pen and scribbled on the notepad, ‘Off to work. Please make yourself at home. I’ll be home around 6. X’

The thought of Hersch waiting for him at home made it easy for Louis to get through the day. He had never actually realized how lonely living on his own had been. Not until there was someone there waiting for him. The thought put a permanent smile on his face. He walked around the office humming all day and continued on the train ride back home. 

When he eventually actually did come home, the first thing he noticed when walking into the kitchen was more scribbling on the notepad. Upon closer inspection, he figured that this would be Hersch’s handwriting. ‘Hope you had fun at work. I never got to say it last night, but thanks for taking me in. X’

The sentiment was endearing and if the thought of Hersch hadn’t made Louis smile all day already, this certainly would have made him smile. Now, he grinned out loud and before he could stop himself, his fingers briefly grazed over the X at the end of the note. 

It was only when he turned away from the fridge door that he noticed several pots on the stove. And he wondered how he could have missed them when the kitchen was filled with the most delicious smells. Upon closer inspection, everything looked equally delicious. 

After filling his nostrils with the mouthwatering smells, Louis made his way over to the living room. From the kitchen doorway he could just spot Hersch’s mope of brown curls above the couch. 

“Hi, Hersch!” he called out while briefly stepping into the hallway to put away his coat. He was still getting used to the weird name, yet he liked the way it sounded when rolling of his tongue.

“Hey, Lou!” Hersch calls back when Louis wandered back into the living room. “I made dinner. I hope you like mashed potatoes and beef?”

Louis did his best to not sound too excited, even though in his head he squealed because Hersch had already deemed him with a nickname. Instead he tried to keep his voice leveled when answering, “Yeah, that sounds great. Everything in the kitchen smells delicious. I didn’t know you cooked?”

Hersch averted his gaze from the TV that Louis only now realized was playing. He shot Louis a crooked smile and cheekily replied, “I do a bit of everything. Right for example, I am watching TV. Do you want to join me for a while before you eat?”

“Yeah, sure.” Louis was already halfway to the couch when the implication of Hersch’s statement hit him. “Wait, did you say while you eat? Did you already eat?”

His focus back on the tv, Hersch shook his head slightly in denial without looking at Louis. “No, I haven’t. I don’t need to. A little bit of oil once or twice a year is everything I need to keep satisfied.”

The words took Louis aback. He couldn’t believe how easily he had forgotten that Hersch wasn’t a real human being. Of course the boy wouldn’t need food, he was a robot. 

It should have scared Louis how easily Hersch fitted into his life, how it felt like having a normal roommate around. But somehow it didn’t. As soon as he had processed the information, Louis hummed in understanding.

He continued to make his way over to the couch, only then checking what Hersch had been so invested in when Louis had walked through the door. He let out a surprised laugh when he saw the boy was watching One Tree Hill. Which coincidently was also one of Louis favorite shows.

‘As if he wasn’t great enough already, now he also shares my entertainment taste. I really got lucky here,’ Louis thought to himself as he plopped down next to Hersch on the couch. 

And just like that, they settled into an easy pattern. In the back of his mind Louis knew it probably shouldn’t be that easy. It should be awkward, tiptoeing around each other while trying to find out the others habits and quirks. But somehow, with Hersch it wasn’t. 

Louis never even had the slightest bit of trouble to picture Hersch as an actual boy. Aside from his aversion to water and the fact that he didn’t eat, there was nothing that reminded Louis that Hersch was not a real human being. Louis knew he was still learning about human emotion, but he seemed to pick up things so quickly Louis easily forgot he ever had any issues with it.

It felt natural from the very first day. Louis would go to work while Hersch would take care of the house. They kept up the habit of going to the lake two nights a week. Louis would go swimming while Hersch watched him from the shore with a smile always present. During the weekends they would have movie nights, go for dinner out on the town or just walk around the park. It shouldn’t be that easy, but it was.


	3. Chapter 3

The routine they settled in felt so easy and natural. Eventually it got too cold to go swimming in the lake again, but unlike other years Louis almost didn’t miss it. He had plenty of other ways to occupy his time now that his apartment wasn’t so lonely anymore. 

It was almost as if Hersch had been around his entire life. Things went so well that Louis didn’t even realize he had been neglecting his friends in favor of spending time with his new roommate. Not until one evening he gets a message from Zayn Malik. 

_Haven’t seen you in too long. We should totally catch up soon. Which is why Liam and me are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. Whether you like it or not._

Getting this text from any other person would have been annoying to Louis, but Zayn could get away with it. They had been friends since high school and Louis knew Zayn meant no harm with the words. It only showed Louis he still cared. 

And when he thought about it, he realized that Zayn was right. He used to hang out with Zayn and his boyfriend Liam on a frequent basis, but since Hersch came into his life he hadn’t seen Zayn once. So he easily agreed to the boy’s not so subtle invite.

Yet, when he was waiting for Zayn and Liam to arrive the next evening, Louis didn’t think he’d felt this nervous in a very long time. Hersch quietly singing to himself in the kitchen wasn’t helping his problem. 

His new roommate was sure that the evening was going to go over without a hitch, but Louis wasn’t too sure about that. Louis also didn’t think it was fair that he was nervous, because Hersch was mostly to blame for his worries. 

The previous night, after informing Hersch about Zayn and Liam coming over, Louis had noticed the other boy becoming nervous. It had taken Louis some prodding, but eventually he had realized Hersch was nervous about their reaction to him being Louis’ new roommate. 

Louis had tried his best to assure the other boy that his friends would be nothing but kind. And it was only when Hersch pointed out that he wasn’t exactly a normal boy that Louis understood. He remembered how hesistant Hersch had been to talk about himself when they first met. He knew that he himself had been surprised when the boy mentioned his name. And he also knew that his friends wouldn’t think twice about asking things like ‘how d’ya get a name like _that_ , mate?’ or ‘no offense, but it’s just _so_ weird.’

The last thing Louis wanted was for Hersch to be uncomfortable, so he had agreed to change Hersch’s name for the sake of avoiding questions. Except, every name that Hersch had suggested until now had gotten a no from Louis. For some reason he couldn’t explain, this new name was very important for Louis. He didn’t want to call Hersch just anything and Bill or Tom or John just didn’t fit.

In the end they agreed Louis could chose the name, since he was being so picky about it. Hersch had assured him he was fine with anything, but Louis wanted it to sound just right. And that’s why he found himself nervously tapping his foot to an non existant beat, still not having found something right, when the door bell rang. 

He gulped in a useless effort to swallow down his nerves and got up to get the door. On the other side he found his two best friends with twinkling eyes and bright smiles. The sight of them was enough to forget about his worries for a moment. They happily exchanged greetings and hugs.

His worry free spirit only lasted a couple of minutes. As soon as Hersch decided to make his presence known and step out of the kitchen, Louis’ nerves were back full force. He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck when he saw Zayn raise an eyebrow at him. “So, I probably should have mentioned that I have a new roommate?”

Louis didn’t miss the curious smiles on his friends’ faces, but neither said anything. So he continued, “Yeah, uhm... Anyway, this is...” There was a slight pause in his sentences as Louis nerves reached their peak. Panicked, he glanced over at Hersch. And that is when it hit him. Letters clicked together in his head and he confidently continued, “This is Harry.”

His eyes were on the floor when the name rolled of his tongue. The sound came out before he could stop it, but he thought it sounded perfect. And yet, nerves rushed through him when he glanced up at Hersch. He let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding when he saw the boy was positively beaming at him.

Relieved, Louis happily glanced over at Zayn. There was a smile playing on the boy’s lips and could tell Zayn didn’t believe for one minute that they were just roommates. He clearly knew that there was something up with this new guy in Louis’ life. So Louis was particularly grateful when he refrained from commenting on it, instead shaking Hersch’s hand with a kind smile. “It’s very nice to meet you, Harry. I’m Zayn, I’m an old friend from Louis. And this is my boyfriend Liam.”

“Hi Zayn, nice to meet you. Louis has told me so much about you, it’s a pleasure to finally meet the guy he’s been talking about.” 

Harry – Louis decided to just call him Harry from now on, to avoid any awkward mistakes and also because the name sounded like it was made specifically for the boy next to him – was being an perfect example of the polite British gentleman. He shook Zayn’s hand and then immediately repeated the gesture with Liam’s, telling him, “Pleasure to meet you to, Liam. I can’t wait to get to know the two of you better.”

Liam didn’t immediately seem responsive. For a moment he stood there, giving Harry a calculating look. He seemed lost in his thoughts. It was only when Zayn gave him a light shove that he jumped forward, taking Harry’s outstretched hand and said, “Yeah. Yeah, nice to meet you, Harry.”

The next couple of hours passed in an uneventful way. The boys all had plenty of stories to tell, so they took the opportunity to catch up on each other’s lives. The only awkwardness occurred when Harry refrained from eating. He claimed that Louis hadn’t mentioned the couple was coming over that exact evening and that he had already eaten. 

His excuse of course didn’t add up with the five course meal he had prepared for the other three. Zayn clearly wasn’t falling for it and for one agonizing moment Louis thought he was going to comment on it. But then Liam’s hand was on Zayn’s arm, silencing his lover before he could get a word out. What followed was a wordless conversation between the pair and then Zayn turned to Harry again, nodding in what felt like understanding. “Typical Louis,” he told Harry with a grin. 

And when the boys finally dove into the meal, none of it seemed to matter anyway. Zayn and Liam were practically moaning out loud, that much they enjoyed the dinner Harry had prepared. Louis always enjoyed anything Harry cooked, but it pleased him to see that his friends also adored his cooking. They spend quite some time praising Harry. Zayn even asked for a third portion of the chocolate cake they had for dessert and Liam begged to get the recipe for the sauce that was served with the main course.

After dinner Louis insisted Zayn and Liam stayed a little longer and ushered them into the living room. He and Harry first went into the kitchen to put the dirty plates and cutlery into the dishwasher and then went to join their friends in the living room. 

When the pair walked into the living room it was clear they weren’t being missed very much by the other two. Zayn was practically in Liam lap. Louis wasn’t sure whether they were just making out or if Liam was devouring Zayn’s face. Besides him he heard Harry cough, but neither of the boys on the couch seemed to notice. 

Louis made a loud gagging noise. When the boys still didn’t part, he called out with a raised voice, “Gross! Get a room, you guys! And preferably not one in my flat.”

The words caused the boys on the couch to finally break apart. They were both smiling like lunatics and Louis didn’t miss how Zayn’s lip was swollen.

Zayn looked over to Louis with a smirk while Louis dropped down on the couch across from them. Then shifted his gaze to Harry. Louis realized that Harry was still standing and staring at Zayn and Liam. Almost studying them, just like he used to do when he had first met Louis at the lake. 

Zayn came to a similar conclusion. His smirk only grew bigger and he asked, “Like what you see, Harry? Maybe you should try that with Louis some time, yeah?”

Louis couldn’t believe his ears. He felt his cheeks burn and was sure they were scarlet red. He started to stutter, but stopped when he glanced over at Harry. 

The boy was still standing, but didn’t seem particularly phased by Zayn’s suggestion. He stared at Zayn for a few more moments. Then he strode over to Louis and before Louis could question what was going on, he planted his lips firmly on Louis’. 

Louis was shocked, but he soon realized that he didn’t dislike the turn the evening had suddenly taken. Especially not when Harry’s tongue slipped out to lick his bottom lip. He was more than willing to open his mouth and let Harry’s tongue slip in.

It took him a few minutes to realize that Liam and Zayn were making gagging sounds now. He could feel his cheeks getting heated again. Yet he felt a bit disappointed when he pulled himself and Harry apart. 

Louis knew for sure that he was flushed, but again Harry didn’t seem particularly phased by the attention they were getting from the other boys. There was just a small blush on his cheeks, but Louis figured that was more from the effort of kissing him than for the unwanted attention. 

For a few moments nobody spoke. Louis took the opportunity to catch his breath. Then he announced, “There, now we are even.”

The mood in the room lightened immediately. Both Zayn and Liam laughed out loud. Louis joined them. He glanced over to Harry to find the boy staring at him. A small smirk was playing around his lips. Louis made a mental note to talk to Harry about appropriate behavior later, but now he just decided to enjoy the rest of the night and spending time with his friends.


	4. Chapter 4

Things could have gotten awkward after their first kiss. But Harry – he had insisted on adopting the name after their night with Liam and Zayn – was Harry. He was still learning about human emotions. So he acted like nothing out of the ordinary had happened that day.

And things didn’t change. The only thing that was different since that night, was the fact that these days, they would spend half of their evening making out on the couch instead of actually watching the movie that was playing.

Louis knew he should explain to Harry what boundaries were. That it was not okay to just kiss a person out of the blue. That there was such a thing as personal space. But the thing was, Louis actually liked their lazy make out sessions. He really enjoyed kissing and it had been too long since his last relationship. So it was convenient to have Harry around and spend a good part of his time kissing him. 

It was convenient. That’s all there was to it. Or at least that’s what he told himself. He was convinced that was all there was about it. And it was only when Harry tagged along to a party with him and they bumped into Nick Grimshaw that it hit him there was more to it. 

Nick and Louis had never been the best of friends, but they knew each other. They had common friends, which caused them to hang out together from time to time. It was always fun. They had a good time when they bumped into each other. 

It is for that reason that Louis wasn’t bothered when Nick came to say hello this particular night. They briefly caught up on each other’s lives and had a few laughs. Louis even got Nick a new drink. 

Things changed when Louis realized Nick had taken an instant liking to Harry after he had introduced the two. Nick spend the rest of the night talking to Harry, not leaving his side. He laughed at Harry’s jokes and asked questions about his life. What bothered Louis the most, however, was that Nick constantly seemed to be touching Harry. A well-meant light punch to the shoulder, his hand on Harry’s arm, brushing their knees. 

Louis didn’t like this touchy side of Nick, but he didn’t step in. He did his best to not hog Harry and tried to give the boy a chance to make new friends. Especially because, while Harry didn’t show any romantic interest in Nick, he also didn’t seem opposed to talking to the guy. 

So instead of stepping in, Louis let the pair talk and tried to mingle with the crowd around them. Until he came back from the bathroom that was.

Louis’ eyes grew big when he saw what was going on in the booth he had just left. Nick was in Harry’s lap, pushing him back against the leather of the booth and kissing the boy’s neck. Harry wasn’t making any effort to push the boy away. But his arms were hanging by his side limply. His eyes were scanning the room in a panic. 

Louis almost smiled when he pinpointed the exact moment Harry noticed him. The boy visibly relaxed and his eyes never left Louis’ form. He clearly was confident that Louis would step in and save him. 

And that’s exactly what Louis did. He didn’t waste any time with being polite. He just walked up to the booth and pushed Nick to the floor. “What the fuck do you think you are doing?” he questioned. 

Nick flinched when he heard the anger in Louis voice, but it only showed for a split second. The next moment he was all bright smiles and big gestures again. He got up from the floor and dusted himself off. He shook his head when security walked over, signaling that nothing was wrong. Then he turned to Louis and smirked. “Oh come on, man. We were just having some fun.”

Nick’s behavior had Louis seething, but he did his best to speak calmly when he addressed the man again. “Well then you and him clearly don’t have the same idea of fun. Besides, he’s mine.”

Nick clearly wasn’t impressed with Louis’ angry reaction. “Seriously?” he questioned. Then he turned to Harry to say, “Sounds to me your boy is being a bit possessive. Are you really going to let him talk about you like that, sweetcheeks?”

For a moment, Louis was concerned about how Harry would react. But he quickly learned he had nothing to be concerned about.

Harry wasn’t offended by the words. He didn’t let Nick egg him on. He only smiled at Nick. When he spoke, his words were drenched in such exaggerated politeness that it almost made Louis want to laugh out loud. 

“Of course he can talk about me like that. Why shouldn’t he speak the truth? Because he is right. I am his.” With those words he stepped over to Louis and linked their fingers together.

The motions Harry made, the words he spoke oozed such confidence that they almost made Louis blush. He somehow managed to keep the redness of his cheeks under control. Instead he said, “Lets get out of here.”

Nick called out after them, shouting some things that were best not repeated. It only caused Harry’s grip on Louis’ hand to tighten. Which in return caused a large smile to appear on Louis’ face while he guided them through the crowd towards the doors.

When they got home and Harry kissed him goodbye to retreat to his room – it was one of those rituals they had started one day and now Louis couldn’t remember a time before – Louis couldn’t immediately turn his back to the boy and walk to his own room. Tonight felt different from other nights. He couldn’t shake the image of Nick on Harry’s lap. He was surprised to realize he felt jealousy at the thought. He had gotten so used to having Harry all to himself that sharing wasn’t something that would be easy. And he knew that if he went to his room now he would feel lonely. 

He hesitated for a moment and then followed Harry to his room. The boy turned around and looked expectantly when Louis stopped in the doorway. 

“So… Uhm… I was thinking that… Well, maybe you could sleep in my bed tonight?” 

For a moment the room was filled with a heavy silence. Louis could almost hear the gears in Harry’s head turning while he contemplated his decision. And his own heart beat loudly in his throat. He felt himself getting nervous. He wondered whether he had stepped over any boundaries. After all, Niall had explained that Harry was made to keep him company. But he never mentioned how far that company would go. 

It turned out Louis worries were all for nothing. Because after a moment of silence, Harry slowly nodded. “Yeah, sure,” he told Louis.

He didn’t waste any more time in his room. Instead he stepped forward towards Louis. With one hand he turned off the light in his room. With the other, he grabbed Louis’ hand and guided them to the other bedroom. 

Louis couldn’t stop smiling when they got ready for bed. He was delighted to see that there was a tiny grin playing on Harry’s lips the entire time as well. 

The mood shifted a bit when they laid down in bed. They said goodnight, but aside from the simple greeting neither of them spoke. Louis felt awkward, trying to lay still with the new body laying next to him. 

For a few moments Harry seemed to be doing the same. Then Louis suddenly heard the rustle of the sheets and he could feel Harry shifting. And then there was an arm, Harry’s arm, that sneaked around his waist. It caused Louis to let out a surprised gasp. 

Louis could tell that Harry was hesistant. His whole body felt rigid, as if he wanted Louis close, but he was unsure whether Louis wanted the same.

But Louis didn’t even have to contemplate that decision. Before he could even give it a second thought, he was already leaning back against Harry’s chest. His arm covered Harry’s arm in an effort to pull it tighter around his waist. 

Louis movements made Harry relax instantly. Louis could hear the boy let out a soft, relieved breath. One that caused a smile to appear on Louis’ face. 

The smile would continue to be etched on Louis’ face all through the night, long after he had fallen asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

After that night, life was pretty uneventful. Louis made a conscious effort to spend more time with his friends. When he told Zayn and Liam about the whole Nick fiasco, they almost pissed themselves laughing. Zayn’s snickering “sure you are just roommates!” kept tingling in his head for days. Things went their merry way at work. Harry had abandoned his room in favor of sleeping with Louis in his arms every night. All in all, Louis’ life felt pretty complete.

When March rolled around and the weather got warm enough, Louis took up his swimming habit again. Twice a week he went to the lake and Harry would always tag along. 

At first Louis worried that Harry would get bored. After all, since he couldn’t join Louis in the water, there was little for him to do. But Harry seemed more then content to spend his nights in the sand. As close to the water as possible, as far as the little waves allowed him. He would sit there, patiently waiting until the older boy was done with his swim. His eyes never once wavering from Louis’ form. 

And when Louis grew tired of swimming, he would come out of the water, towel himself dry and spend the rest of the evening in Harry’s arms. They would watch gaze at the stars together, shining far brighter than they ever could in the city. Talk about everything and nothing all at once. And it made Louis incredibly happy. It made him feel safe. Ever since Harry had taken up the habit of sleeping with one arm tightly around Louis waist, Louis never felt safer than in Harry’s arms. 

Harry seemed perfectly content with the way their twice a week outings were going, until one night they were sitting in the warm sand together. Harry’s arms had barely found their way around Louis when he said, “Sometimes I wish I could join you.” 

“Join me?” Louis questioned as he settled deeper into Harry’s embrace. The other boy’s words confused him. 

“Yes, join you,” Harry repeated. Louis could hear a smile in his voice without even looking at him. “In the water. It looks so peaceful out there. You always seem so happy when you’re swimming.”

“Not as happy as I am right here in your arms.” The words passed Louis lips before he even consciously made the decision to speak. But he didn’t regret them. After all, there’s nothing regretful about the truth.

So instead of apologizing, Louis squirmed a bit until he was turned around, his body now facing towards Harry. “Happy and loved,” he assured Harry of his feelings. And before Harry got a chance to say anything, Louis pressed their lips together. 

Harry let out a squeaky sound of surprise and Louis couldn’t blame him. This was after all the first time that they kissed outside of the confines of their apartment. They hadn’t made a habit out of kissing out in the open where everybody would be able to see them. 

But Louis liked kissing Harry, whether it was secluded on their couch or out on a sandy shore where the world could walk in on them. So he was happy that when he went to pull away, thinking Harry wasn’t up for kissing him in public, Harry clearly disagreed with him. He let out another strangled noise and pulled Louis closer again, keeping their lips firmly attached. Louis couldn’t help but smile into the kiss. 

They sat there like that for a while. Just kissing, enjoying the feeling of their lips pressed together and their tongues dancing. It was only when he had to pull away to catch his breath that Louis realized there was something different about this kiss. He just couldn’t pinpoint what it was exactly.

Harry didn’t give Louis much time to think about it. Louis barely had time to catch his breath when Harry was pulling their lips together again. When Harry hand started pulling lightly at his hair, it hit Louis. Their dynamic had suddenly changed from lazy kissing to heated making out. Louis realized he wanted more than just kisses from Harry. 

As soon as the realization hit him, Louis was scrambling to his feet as quickly as he could without having to let go of Harry for too long. They were a mess of limbs tangled together and yet somehow they managed to gather all their stuff without falling down. Grabby arms were all over each other as they started to make their way home.

It felt natural, searching every corner of each other’s mouths with their tongues and mapping every inch of each other’s bodies with their hands. It was only when they literally fell into bed together that reality suddenly hit Louis.

Somehow, somewhere, they had gotten undressed down to their boxers. And when Louis saw Harry’s hard on press to the thin layer of fabric that separated it from the air, doubt filled his mind. He didn’t mean to be a tease, but he couldn’t help himself. Harry had already moved to sucking on his collar bone when Louis was suddenly pushing him away. 

“Wait, wait,” he managed to get out. It didn’t escape his attention that his words sounded as disheveled as Harry already looked. “Wait. I need to… You need to explain… Like, how does this work with you?”

He could feel Harry smile against his skin. Kisses were pressed against his skin, all over his chest, while Harry whispered, “Just do what you always do. You’re not going to break me or anything. I just need you to not worry about it too much. Do what feels natural and try to enjoy yourself.”

Surprisingly, Harry sounded confident. Louis knew this had to be Harry’s first time, but the other boy didn’t seem to expect any concerns. Somehow, he seemed to be exactly what he was doing. Louis briefly wondered if he had been programmed like that. 

But as soon as Harry’s fingers dipped under the hem of his boxers, Louis pushed that thought aside. While Harry slowly pulled down his boxers, Louis made an unconscious decision to listen to him. To not worry too much and enjoy himself. He knew that Harry would let him know if things weren’t alright. 

Harry never did as much as imply things didn’t feel right. If Louis had needed any convincing that he was making Harry feel good, the sounds coming from the boy’s mouth were all he needed. 

They took their time to enjoy each other. Louis made sure to prep Harry thoroughly and Harry did his very best to make sure Louis erection didn’t get neglected. After that it didn’t take long Louis to be buried in Harry’s ass up to the hilt. And soon they were nothing but wet kisses and sweaty skin on skin. Louis made sure to hit Harry’s prostate spot on with each trust, making the boy come without his erection even being touched. Louis didn’t follow long after, the feeling of Harry clenching around him being enough to send him over the edge too. 

After Louis slowly pulled out and collapsed besides Harry, neither of them said a word for a while. They just lay there panting. Covered in sweat. 

Harry was the first one to come down from his high. Louis was still trying to catch his breath when the boy besides him suddenly whispered, “I love you.”

The words didn’t come out very loud. Louis wasn’t even sure they were intended for his ears. But he heard them. And they took his breath away. 

For just a moment, he didn’t say anything. His mind was swirling with thoughts of how Harry wasn’t a real boy, how this was not Harry’s purpose, how Louis was stupid to let things ever get this far.

His mind didn’t stop spinning, but his heart simply skipped a beat at Harry’s words and then forced him to throw out words in return. “I love you too,” he whispered back. They sounded like the most natural words in the world. And when Louis heard himself say them out loud, he knew that’s exactly what they were. Natural, and true.

Harry didn’t give a response anymore. But when he pulled the blanket over them, pulled Louis into his arms and nuzzled his lips against Louis’ neckline, Louis could feel him smile against his skin. And Louis knew they both fell asleep with matching smiles on their faces that night. 

It was only the next morning that Louis would realize how much that night had changed things. How that night would change his life forever. 

March brought sunshine pouring through the windows, but that wasn’t what had woken up Louis. The sun was still too weak to actually heat up the room. And yet, he was sweating like a pig. He noticed he had pushed away the blankets in his sleep, but to no avail. 

He frowned when he realized Harry was still draped around him, their limbs entangled. Harry’s body temperature was always lower and touching his skin usually kept Louis cool. 

In need of some fresh air and some space suddenly, Louis began to wriggle out of Harry’s grip. But as soon as his fingers touched Harry’s skin, he immediately stopped his movement. The moment he came in contact with Harry’s arm, he realized the other boy was warm, no longer his usual cool. 

Looking down at the arm around his waist, Louis noticed the color had changed. Harry had always been pale, his skin color adjusted to his body temperature. And now that he suddenly felt warmer, his skin had gotten darker. 

As had his lips, Louis noticed when he studied Harry’s face after turning around in his arms. His lips were redder then they had ever been. Louis couldn’t help himself, he got closer to Harry and pressed a kiss to Harry’s lips. They felt warm and softer than they used to. 

And then his hand graced across Harry’s chest and the world seemed to stop around him. He had to feel again, press his hand tighter against Harry’s skin to make sure. He let out a shaky breath when he was sure he wasn’t mistaken. When he knew for sure that he really felt a heart beating underneath Harry’s skin. 

Harry hadn’t woken up from Louis tossing and turning in his arms, but he did stir awake when Louis pressed a closed lipped kiss against the skin just below Harry’s left nipple, where he could definitely feel a heart beating now. 

Louis watched as Harry slowly opened his eyes. He let himself be pulled upwards so Harry could press a kiss against his lips. He didn’t say anything when he felt Harry freeze. He waited.

Harry pulled back and stared at Louis for a few moments. Louis could tell he was contemplating his next words. “You feel different,” he eventually noted. 

“It’s not me, it’s you.” The words left Louis’s mouth in that exact way and the moment he spoke, he knew he should have rephrased them. He cringed at the sound of his own voice. 

The words caused Harry to frown. Louis made a mental note about how this was the first time he had seen the other’s forehead wrinkle. It instantly made him look years older. And Louis immediately decided it was not a good look on Harry, vowed to himself to never be the cause of worry for the other boy. 

“I don’t understand. What is going on?”

Harry’s words pulled Louis out of his thoughts. One look at Harry’s face immediately cause Louis to want to make sure Harry didn’t worry anymore. Slowly, gently, he place a hand on Harry’s chest where his heart was beating.

“I think you are human now,” Louis whispered. The words were kind and accompanied by a warm smile.

The creases of worry started to fade, but didn’t completely disappear. Not sure what else to do, Louis grabbed Harry’s hand and placed it underneath his own. He wanted to Harry to feel his own heartbeat.

“How?”

Louis was relieved to hear no worry in Harry’s voice. Just genuine curiosity as to how such a thing could have happened. Another warm smile played around his lips when he answered, “I don’t know.”

There was a moment of silence between them, in which Louis searched Harry’s eyes. He wanted sure the boy understood his next words. When Harry was staring back at him, he added, “And honestly, I don’t care. You’re here with me. And human or not, I love you. That’s all that matter to me, okay? I love you.” 

Harry visibly relaxed. Louis’ words seemed to calm him down. They were exactly what he needed to hear. A smile appeared on his face and then he said, “And I love you.”

And then they were kissing again and neither boy had any care in the world.


	6. Chapter 6

Louis life changed forever that morning. He lost a roommate, the boy who was designed to keep him company. But he gained so much more. A lover, a best friend, a soul mate. A real boyfriend of flesh and blood. 

Time passed so quickly after that that Louis never really took the time to look back and realize how much his life had changed for the better with Harry in it. They never figured out what caused Harry to change. They had tried google, they had looked up books on leprechauns and magic in the library. Nothing gave them an answer. And the one person who might have been able to help them seemed nowhere to be found. Until one night when they were swimming in the lake together. 

Swimming was the first thing that Harry had wanted to try when they had realized he was of flesh and blood. He didn’t care for food or candy or anything else. He had insisted on going swimming. 

It had been quite a hilarious scene, watching Harry go into the water. As soon as they arrived in the lake he had stripped down to his swim trunks before Louis could even blink. But when it came down to it, Harry had still been hesitant to actually go into the water. He had walked closer with caution. Dipped one toe in it carefully. And only when he had realized he didn’t have to pull back hissing, he had let go of all inhibitions. With a loud yell he had ran straight into the lake. Louis had laughed so hard that it took him a moment or two to realize the boy was new to this and literally couldn’t swim to save his life. It had taken him a great effort to drag Harry back onto the sand.

Unexpectedly, Harry hadn’t gotten an aversion to water after the fiasco that first time. He had been quick to pick up the pointers Louis gave him and two weeks later he had been one of the best swimmers Louis had ever seen. 

When Harry finally had been able to go into the water safely, there had been no holding him back. He loved the water and he insisted they kept up Louis’ habit of going there twice a week. Even when Louis didn’t feel like it, Harry always managed to drag him out for a refreshing dip in the water. 

So it wasn’t surprising that, exactly two years after they met, after Louis took Harry home, they were at the lake when someone showed up there. Someone they hadn’t seen in a very long time. Someone they had not expected to ever see again. And as usual, they were so focused on each other that they didn’t even notice the third person at first. Not until he called out to them. 

“Hersch?” A voice ringing clear through the otherwise silent night. Surprise was evident in the one syllable. 

Two heads turned towards the shore in unison. The light the moon revealed a figure standing not too far from the water. Blonde hair and a bright green jacket. Niall, the boy who brought them together two years ago. 

Both boys in the water stared at him in surprise. Harry was the first one to recover. “Actually, it’s Harry now!” he called out towards the blonde standing in the sand. 

“We should go say hi,” Louis suggested when Niall didn’t answer, instead continued watching them with a small smile playing on his lips. 

Harry responded to Louis’ suggestion with a shrug. “You go,” he told Louis. “I want to stay in the water a little longer.”

“I am going to have to drag you out again, won’t I?” Louis questioned in return. There was, however, no annoyance behind his words. Over the years he had gotten used to the fact that Harry loved the water even more than he did.

With a smile he pressed a quick peck to Harry’s lips and then wade towards the sand. On his way over to Niall he grabbed a towel and quickly dried himself before fastening it around his hips. 

“Hey, good to see you again, man!” Louis greeted the Irish boy.

Niall didn’t answer him, instead staring straight passed him to the lake. Louis didn’t need to over his shoulder to know what he was looking at. “I have no idea how it happened,” he admitted with a shrug. 

“I do.” Niall smiled when he finally averted his look from the water to look at Louis. “You kissed him, didn’t you?”

“Well, yeah…” Louis admitted. “But it wasn’t like that was the first time we kissed.”

“Maybe not,” Niall allowed. “But something must have been different that time?”

Louis racked his brain, thinking back to what have happened that night. There had been the sex, but that couldn’t have been it, now could it? And then it hit him. “It was the first time we exchanged 'I love you's.”

“And there you have it,” Niall confirmed. “It’s something we leprechauns like to call true love's kiss.”

“True love's kiss?”

“Yep,” Niall answered, nodding his head in confirmation. “It’s part of the leprechaun magic. That’s how we build our robots. They are made to keep people company and to become friends. Unless they come across someone special. When they encounter a truly good, selfless human being. When they come across their true love, that’s when the game changes. And that’s what happened with you. You clearly are a good person. And you put your heart on the line there. You weren’t scared to bare your feelings. You didn’t question it when you admitted that you love Her- Harry, even if he was a robot. That’s why it’s called true love’s kiss.”

“And it happens often?” Louis wanted to know. Without realizing it, he glanced over his shoulder to his boyfriend who was still in the lake. He wondered how many other people out there were as lucky as he was.

“Not at all. It’s actually very rare. Most of us never come across it. And if we do, it’s a once in a lifetime experience,” Niall explained. He fell silent for a moment and Louis could almost see the gears in his head turning. Seconds passed and then he let out a surprised, “Huh…”

“What is it?” Louis questioned. It was probably none of his business, but curiosity got the best of him. 

A proud smile graced Niall’s face when he explained, “I think I might be the first leprechaun in existence to match two pairs of soulmates together. There’s you and Her- sorry, Harry, it’s going to take me some time to get used to that new name. But I’m willing to bet that you were to one who came up with the name. That it just came to you in an instant, right?” His smile grew bigger when Louis nodded in confirmation. “Had you known about the magic, that would have been your first clue. The names we give our robots usually sound quite odd to the rest of the world. And we found that when one of them finds true love, it all starts with a change of their name. It’s like the first step for their significant other towards excepting them in their world.” 

Niall gave Louis a few moments to process the information and then he added, “So like I was saying, there’s Harry and you. And a few years ago I matched up Laughlin, one of the first robots I created. I believe he is called Liam now and he found his perfect match in a boy called Zayn Malik.”

Louis stared at Niall for a few moments, waiting for the punchline. When he concluded that Niall wasn’t joking, he let out a loud laugh, which quickly turned into a loud giggle fit. Some things made a lot more sense all of a sudden. 

When he finally managed to compose himself, he told Niall, “Well, I guess you really are a lucky charm, Nialler.” 

“Yeah, I guess I am,” Niall answered. The proud smile was still etched on his face and Louis was sure it wouldn’t be disappearing anything soon. 

Before he could tease Niall about it, however, Louis felt two damp arms wrap around his waist. Harry had finally decided to come out of the water. “What’s so funny?” he wanted to know.

Louis ignored the way Harry’s voice close through his ear still made shivers run down his spine after all this time. Instead, he answered, “It’s a long story. I’ll explain it later.” Before Harry could protest, he added, “How about now we go buy Nialler over here some food? After all, if it hadn’t been for him, we wouldn’t be together now.” 

Louis could feel Harry nod his head and heard him hum in agreement. But before either of them got properly ask Niall if he was up for a late night snack, the Irish boy already said, “I’m up for it. I’m always up for food. But on one condition.” 

Louis raised his eyebrows in question and without looking at the boy behind him, he knew Harry’s expression would be mimicking his. 

Niall slipped his hand in his trousers and pulled out a few bills. “I’m buying,” he announced. His tone of voice made it evident there was no discussion possible.

A smile appeared on Louis face. Without counting it, he knew the money in Niall’s hand would be exactly the amount he payed for Harry. He refrained from commenting on it, instead simply saying, “Whatever you say, bro. Whatever you say.”

Smiles were etched on all their faces when the trio walked off under the moonlight together.


End file.
